The Three of Cups shows, as with all threes, fertile ground and creativity. This is said to be the case because it combines the Ace and Two that it follows in its suit and the tarot deck itself. The Three of Cups shows three cups being raised in toast of some celebratory event. There is great joy shown by this card, which shows that the promise of the Ace and Two of Cups is or will be fulfilled. The querent began the relationship, coupled with another, and now can enjoy the rewards of their effort. The Three of Cups gives the appearance of a party. All threes are representative of wholeness and the holy trinity which is the complete union of all aspects of God. They show how the effort used in the first two cards has paid off, so the querent can see the early fruits of his labour in the realm of personal relationships. The proper balance has been achieved and everything is going well, which should be savoured.
When more than one three appears in the same spread, there is a more well-defined interpretation that can be revealed to the querent. Pairs of threes portray being productive in one’s work and achieving the proper amount of focus, and three of these foretells the need to make some decisions before covering more ground towards one’s goals, or in this case, one’s romantic goals. It seems that there is still more work to be done. Having four threes in a spread shows awards, achievement, and accolades, which can sometimes go hand in hand. The Three of Cups may imply that the happiness in love that the querent is experiencing has been earned and not simply experienced when indicated in this context.
The Three of Cups in an Upright Position
An upright Three of cups is about celebrations of all kinds. The querent may be attending, throwing, or the guest of honour at a bridal shower, baby shower, or graduation party. There could be something else to celebrate such as early success with any endeavour that is dear to the querent. There can be a child indicated here due to the three being the union of the numbers one and two, so pregnancy cannot be ruled out. This may show a closer relationship with the divine and the spirit world and the beginning of spiritual awareness. The querent may have recently joined a club or group of people who have the same philosophies as him, or the querent is feeling comfortable with his surroundings. There may be a resolution to an emotional problem when the Three of Cups is revealed, and the querent can expect that his fortune is at an all time high. There could be anticipation about a situation or fulfilment of a wish or something the querent has waited a long time to see through. There can also be a positive third party that joins the querent and their partner.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. The Three of Cups shows the querent where he has succeeded in something and is seeing early rewards for his romantic efforts. The court cards surrounding this may reveal the type of person that is entering in union with them. If the Three of Cups is predicting the birth of a child, the court cards may indicate the child’s characteristics and possibly their astrological sign. The Major Arcana cards in the area of this card can also change or emphasize its meaning. Examples of this would be how the presence of the Fool advises that the querent or someone around him needs to become more mature and responsible, and the Tower can warn of a meddling third party that wants to destroy your romantic relationship with your partner.
The Three of Cups in a Reverse Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. A reversed Three of Cups shows three women and their cups overturned. Someone may have crashed a joyous celebration and maybe even someone’s wedding. This can be the querent’s party or the querent may be the crasher in this situation. Either way, it shows a disruption in the celebrations that would be normally signified by an upright Three of Cups. There may be a malicious third party inserting themselves into the querent’s life, or again, the querent is the third party. The libations being enjoyed in the cups have been spilled out and the women have been toppled. The reversal of the Three of Cups could mean someone being left at the altar, calling their wedding off, or a sudden and emotional loss. The querent may find out that there has been an affair occurring in their relationship. In relation to a pregnancy, this could mean a miscarriage or bad news of some sort that stills the celebration. There isn’t necessarily complete discord with this card, but there has been a definite damper placed on the festivities.
There may be an issue with outsiders sticking their opinions and noses into the querent’s business regarding their relationships, and there could be gossip. There may be an individual out there who means the querent ill-will regarding their romantic relationship. This could be a former lover who wants to have the querent to themselves or even a jealous mother-in-law who may influence the outcome of your relationship with mean spirited comments and passive-aggressive jabs. A party may end in tears or a fight of some sort
Key Terms
- Celebrations
- Weddings
- Pregnancy or birth
- Baby shower
- Friendly addition to your group
- Meddling third party in relationships
- Reward for past romantic efforts
- Happy news
- Taking the next step in love
- Sudden end to relationships
- Party crashers